Relationship of testosterone with hemoglobin in healthy fertile males

ABSTRACT

To establish a probable relationship of serum total testosterone with hemoglobin under normal physiological conditions in Pakistani population. Cross sectional study. This study was carried out at the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Physiology, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi from September 2010 to September 2011. 200 apparently healthy, non-smoker and adult males of age group 30 - 50 years were selected by convenient sampling. Early morning samples of serum total testosterone and hemoglobin were obtained by venipuncture after detailed medical history and thorough physical examination. All the tests were done on the same day and results were calculated. The mean [ +/- SD] total testosterone was 15.92 [ +/- 6.32] nmol/L. The frequency of low serum total testosterone was 13.5%. The frequency of anemia was 4.0%. Hemoglobin and MCHC directly correlated with total testosterone [p < 0.05] while PCV, RBC count and MCH did not show significant correlation [p > 0.05]. Low testosterone is prevalent in Pakistani apparently healthy males in the age group 30-50 years. Significant direct relationship of testosterone with hemoglobin showed that physiological variations in testosterone can modulate hemoglobin status in middle age apparently healthy sedentary Pakistani men